Hard to Predict

You never know how a run is going to turn out. Sometimes you think you're going to have a terrible run due to the weather, fatigue or lack of motivation, but you end up having a rave run. Then there are days like today, when you are pumped, expecting to have a great run, and it turns sour. Three days post blizzard and I couldn't wait to run through the snow tunnels for my 8 miler. I had these factors on my side:

1. This is Wisconsin, so the sidewalks have been cleared, roads are in great condition, and the mega drifts of Wednesday have been tamed.
2. A cloudy morning with no wind, and temps in the mid-20's is perfect running weather.
3. I am well-rested and feeling strong.
4. I had a favorite route planned.

Since my pace and endurance continue to improve, and I'm no stranger to an 8 mile distance, I expected to perform well today. Well, hells bells. This was one of the most difficult runs of my life! But why?

Maybe it was the lumpy ground. While this is WI and everyone took care of their snow, what could be done about snow that blew back onto cleared walkways, creating an undulating mini-mogul surface - a surface that is most difficult to move quickly over.

Maybe it was the snow mountains at every street crossing, with narrow one-foot-in front-of-the-other foot paths that I had to carefully walk up and over.

Maybe it was mild dehydration. Thirst is less noticeable in winter running, especially when you run and chew gum as I do, but the cold dry air takes more out of you than you know. I did run with my Camelbak (handheld running bottles don't fit my teeny hands), but neglected to drink much of the ice water in it.

Maybe it was my frozen nostrils. After a time, I found it difficult to get a deep breath in through my nose - my upper nasal passages were glued together from more than an hour of heavy breathing in the cold.

I'm sure it's a combination of all of the above. The main thing is that I persevered and finished the distance. I felt discouraged at times by my sloth-like pace - a pace I haven't experienced in close to 1.5 years. At other times, I felt tired as my mind tried to convince me to walk instead of run, but I quickly countered with a mantra from my yoga instructor, " The mind wants to give up, long before the body needs to." I hung in there, reminding myself that I was doing the best I could in the conditions, and that every run can't be stellar.I praised myself for being able to run 8 miles, noting that my legs weren't tired, nor my breathing labored. And I thought of Joe running his own route, wondering if he was moving more slowly too.

As it turns out, he struggled through his run for the same reasons, and posted a slower time than normal too. Joe ran 3.5 miles today, bringing his weekly total to over 12 miles! He is taking his return to running slowly to prevent injury, and so far, his feet are no worse for the wear. The effects of the Prednisone, which elevates his heart rate, in a twisted way, is helping him ease into running again by forcing him to run slower - running at a faster pace is too taxing on the heart and lungs, and the slower running, is allowing his feet to toughen up.